Body Language

[daff0dil]

So, I found myself in a rather heated argument last night with my partner (sexual, romantic, personal, not professional that is) regarding body language. Specifically his. More specifically him turning away from me entirely, in public, when we are talking (I am referring to more than brief view finding, but rather completely facing away for more than a few minutes at a time).

He seemed rather shocked that this bothered me or that I took it personally (in his head the reason we are out in public, so, ya know, natural to look around).

In my head, I thought, hell, when I see two people at a table with eachother and one is not only avoiding eye contact, but actually turned away, I think they are angry or aren't that fond of eachother. I might even think that he/she is trying to let everyone know they are not together.

I pose this situation, this overshare if you will, to obtain feedback on two levels:

1. How much attention or lack thereof is "normal" ? and at what point does lack thereof become rude or unkind. There is a fine line between personal preference and responding to cues any normal person might take poorly. Addressing the former is personal preference, the latter might be considered more of a public service.

2. Is there a way to really effectively approach issues of innate body communication? I mean, it strikes me people manifest rude non verbal cues that are not intended as such out of habit...thus you are tackling, directly, subconscious issues... a difficult task. circuitous at best.